


A Very Tolkien Christmas

by theimaginesyouneveraskedfor



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Fluff, Holiday, Homesick, slightly steamy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 05:54:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17156477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theimaginesyouneveraskedfor/pseuds/theimaginesyouneveraskedfor
Summary: “How about introducing Krampus or Schiachperchten to the Company and them being very confused, as they think it is orcs the Reader is talking about?”+“I just remembered that part in Watch Out Below where she mentions elves being on cereal boxes and it made me want to request a story about the hilarity that would ensue if the company (and maybe the elves as well) found out about Christmas elves.”+“Could I request one where the reader is from our world and it’s Christmas time so she feels really home sick. Thorin decides to have the company arrange the best Christmas they can on the road and with the stories she told.”+“Imagine Thorin + reader traveling with the Company through the Misty Mountains during winter, and the two going off on their own to explore. They come across a natural hot springs pool, like a hot tub, and it’s the perfect spot to warm up.”





	A Very Tolkien Christmas

“Wait? So, you give presents and sing?” Bofur asked as he leaned forward among the circle of dwarves around you, “That sounds like my sort of holiday.”

You looked at the curious faces of the Company as they crowded around the fire, every one of them focused on the tales of your own world. You were not sure how you had found your way into this universe but you were starting to grow homesick, especially as the weather grew colder and you thought of the yuletide. Rather than to dwell on your misery, you had merely pushed yourself along with the others and hoped that you would not run into any more goblins. Yet, you were never very skilled at hiding your emotions and Bilbo had drawn out your secret mourning.

“Oh, yeah, and there are hot drinks, like tea,” You looked to Bilbo who smiled delightedly, “And mistletoe…Well, that’s not so fun all the time. And we build snowmen and oh, it’s wonderful.”

“And a bearded man in red hands out these gifts?” Fili wondered, recalling your first tale of your childhood Christmases, “That sounds almost like Balin…kindest of any of us, that one.”

“Oh, and I forgot, Santa has these little elves–” You began before you were cut off by a growl.

“Elves!” Thorin gritted and you turned to his fierce glare, “I knew I didn’t like this man…”

“Oh, uh, yeah,” You frowned, you had yet to encounter these elves which these dwarves hated so much; the dwarves themselves had been a surprise as they were no smaller than yourself, “Well, they make the toys and they’re tiny, almost like children.”

“Hmm, tiny?” Kili raised a brow, “Definitely not any elves from around here.”

“No…” Dwalin agreed as he grimaced, “And these elves, what else do they do?”

“Not much,” You shrugged, “I suppose they take care of Santa’s reindeer or whatever he needs to be done.”

“Mmm, elves as servants?” Dwalin cracked a small smile as he leaned back, “It sounds infinitely than those pompous donkeys we got here.”

“So…if you’re bad, you get coal?” Bilbo asked, changing the topic and you were thankful as Thorin was still growling from his side of the circle, “That’s not so bad.”

“Well, it depends who you ask,” You answered as you leaned your elbows on your knees, “There are some who believe in a figure known as Krampus. He’s big and hideous and cruel and he punishes all the children who are naughty. He is said to have cloven feet and is regarded as quite a fearsome being.”

“Sounds like an orc to me,” Fili intoned with a grimace, “You sure that isn’t what that is?”

“Orc?” You remembered the terrifying creatures you had encountered not long ago, “No…I don’t think so. Similar though.”

“Are you certain?” Thorin returned to the conversation as his eyes brightened with curiosity, “You said you did not have such creatures in your world.”

“We don’t,” You assured with a gentle smile, “These are all just stories…But I miss them nonetheless.”

“It’s alright to miss your home, [Y/N],” Bilbo set his hand on your shoulder and you suddenly felt like a fool; you were not the only one without your home.

“No, no, it’s nothing. I’m fine. I’m just tired…I think I need to sleep.”

“[Y/N]…” Several of the dwarves uttered as you stood but you merely waved away their protests, trying to hide the wash of sadness which had come upon you.

“No, I swear, it’s alright,” You raised your hands pleadingly, “It’s been a long day…trust me, you know how it can be.”

You turned away, hiding the frown tugging at your lips and hurried over to the cloak you wrapped yourself in at night. Several of the dwarves had offered you their bedroll but you had felt rotten accepting something so substantial from them. You had finally settled on a spare cloak found in the bottom of Bombur’s pack and insisted that you could make it through with just that.

You curled yourself into a ball within the thick cloak atop the ground and tried not to think of how you had let yourself get so sentimental before the gruff Company of dwarves. You did not need to give any of them more reason to think you misplace and you had only just managed to get out more than a word or two from Thorin and Dwalin.

The two of them had not been very amiable to your impromptu enlistment, or rather tagging along, and they had not accepted your presence until you had managed to kill an orc with a tree branch, not that it had been intentional. You were already ruining the little reputation you had gained and you knew crying over Santa Claus was not going to help you or anyone else.

* * *

You awoke with the realization that you had not chosen the best spot to doze in your rush to hide. You were still in a tight ball upon the dirt, though the cloak was now over your face and you felt as if you could not breath. You pushed it away and rolled onto your back to look at the pink dawn above. You were not sure that you would even be able to rise as you lay across the ground and you were content to remain broken across the earth for the rest of your existence.

Yet, you were called to rise as you heard the sound of the fire being fed with another log, the daily signal that you were expected to function. The clink of Bombur’s wooden spoon on his iron pot rang soon after and you finally urged yourself off your back, climbing unsteadily to your feet. You held the cloak around your shoulders as you wiped the sleep from your eyes and your yawn turned into a gape as you cleared your vision.

Before you, the dwarves and hobbit stood watching you expectantly and their eyes followed your every move. You smoothed down the hair, which had escaped your ponytail in your sleep as you knew you most certainly were not a morning person and it was very obvious. Each held something in their hands, every object wrapped in a handkerchief or some sort of old rag. You furrowed your brow as you stood speechless across from them and every single one returned a smile; even Thorin.

“What?” You forced out as you crinkled your forehead.

“Merry Christmas,” Fili called out and the others joined in a shamble of voices.

“Um, oh…” You realised what was going on as you spotted Balin and the crudely died red hat upon his head, “You guys…you didn’t have to do this.”

“But you were sad,” Ori said in his chirpy voice.

“I…” You were suddenly hit by the gesture and you could not believe what you had awoken to, “Thank you so much, but really, shouldn’t we be readying to leave?”

“One day won’t hurt,” Thorin assured as he stepped forward, “Besides, you must open your gifts.”

“Gifts?” You echoed and once more eyed the hidden goods in their hands, “You didn’t.”

“They’re not much,” Dwalin offered in his gristly voice, “But we’ll get you better gifts once we reach the Mountain, lass.”

“But I have nothing for you,” You held back the tears which threatened; you had thought yourself so close the night before but now you were sure you would cry, “I can’t possibly–”

“You can and you will,” Bofur asserted as he stepped past Thorin and took your arm, leading you towards the fire, “And we will be merry. Is that not what this is all about?”

“I suppose,” You accepted as you allowed yourself to be guided forward, Bilbo at your other arm, “But really, this is too much.”

“It’s not enough,” Kili intoned as you were offered a seat before the fire, “And you’re one of us now. It’s about time we treat you like it.”

“Plus, we have to follow orders,” Fili grinned over at his uncle who looked away evasively, “Who knew our king thought of anything but his Mountain.”

“Quiet, Fili,” Thorin’s eyes shot to his nephew and you withheld an amused smirk, “It is nothing…We all need a break.”

“That we do,” You agreed as the dwarves began to take their own seats around the fire, “Though, I would say you lot need it more than me.”

“Enough, lass,” Dwalin asserted as he approached, “It is time for you to open your presents…and be happy.”

He handed you the shrouded object in his hand with another unusual smile and you took it with one of your own. You weighed it in your hand before slowly untying the handkerchief around it to reveal a carved ebony statue of a bear. You examined the careful work and wondered how he could give up such a lovely trinket.

“Thank you,” You uttered meeky, looking up from the gift, “Did you make this?”

“Of course, I did, lass,” He assured proudly, “After I encountered such a beast in the forest outside Ered Luin. I thought you’d appreciate it since you seem to think me as grizzly as one of those beasts.”

“I never meant…” You thinned your lips in a guilty smile as you recalled how you had accidentally called him a ‘teddy bear’, “Thank you, I love it.”

“Don’t give that one all your love, girl,” Gloin shifted over his own gift, “We’ve all got you something.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t,” You chuckled nervously as you were still trying to adjust to the unusual awakening, “I am sure yours is just as lovely.”

You opened Gloin’s gift, an intricate silver spoon which he told you his son had made and you had tried to give it back but the dwarf was as stubborn as any. Ori had knitted you a scarf with a little too much frilliness; Bofur presented a book of dwarven folk songs, Fili gave you his smallest knife, Kili; you a braided leather necklace, Bilbo; a teacup he had preserved wrapped in a thick rag, Oin; a pack of herbs he said were good for womanly problems, Bombur; a sachet of dried berries, Bifur; a mechanical toy of a squirrel, Balin; a pair of embroidered gloves he said belonged to his very own mother, Dori; a handkerchief of lace he had procured in Rivendell before you had arrived, Nori; a purse of copper coins he assured you was worth quite a bit, and finally Thorin came forward with his own.

The king was peculiarly quiet and seemed even meek as he stepped up and held out the carefully wrapped present in his hand. He had folded an almost origami-like shroud around whatever it was and his stone veneer remained as he held it out to you, though you could see the tension in his jaw. You wondered if Fili had told the truth when he eluded to it being the king’s idea or if perhaps he had been trying to conceal the dwarf’s inherent reluctance as such trivial undertakings.

“I hope you like it,” Thorin offered, though his voice was almost inaudible.

“Um, thank you,” You took it delicately and he stood before you anxiously; he surely could not give you anything less than wonderful, the fact that he was gifting you anything, was in itself all you needed.

You concentrated on undoing his careful work and slowly revealed the silver bead within, the metal shining as if it had been polished endlessly. You wondered how he had managed to hold onto such an amazing piece of work and how he could possibly give it to you. The silver was molded into the shape of a regal crow and the bead was etched with symbols you could only assume were khuzdul.

“I…this is so beautiful,” You ran your finger across the feathered detail of its wing and thought of what you had been told of dwarven beads and their meaning, “I really don’t think I should–”

“Please, I’ve no one else to give it to,” He said as he waved away the hand you held out, “I would that you had it before any.”

“I’ve never…” You looked back to the pin and the rest of your gifts set around you, “You all are too kind. I don’t think I ever had such an amazing Christmas, even when I was home.”

“Not at all, lass,” Bofur stood as the rest followed suit, “There couldn’t be any more out there more deserving.”

“Truly,” Bilbo agreed with a grin and your breath was once more caught as the circle of now-standing dwarves bowed as one.

“Really, this is more than I could ever ask for,” You got to your feet with a smile which was threatening to become an overwhelmed sob and held your arms out wide, “Group hug!”

The crowd of dwarves and hobbit looked to each other with confusion before Kili and Fili beat the rest to you and wrapped you up in their arms with amused chuckles. The others followed suit as the idea dawned on them and you were soon in the midst of the dozen burly dwarves and the mousy hobbit. Dwalin nearly smothered you as you got to him and in the end, it was a large jumble of dwarves embracing each other with roars and laughs.

You finally freed yourself from the mess as the others continued to cheerily chatter and you could not help but tune out whatever Bilbo was saying as you spotted Thorin on the edge of camp. Your face dropped as you watched him pace the border and you wondered if perhaps he was impatient to be moving and your foolish sentiments had kept his Company in place. If it were so, you owed him an apology and likely the return of the bead; it was all too much and the king had more to worry about than such trivial matters.

You bit your lip as you willed yourself to act before it was too late or you lost your nerve. Staring at the dark-haired dwarf brooding was not making you any braver and you wondered where you had gone wrong. Thorin had just seemed to be warming up to, at least, as much as he could. He had been attempting to train you with the small sword that had been attained for you from the goblin’s den and had even taken to walking with you at times along the days’ travel. Before, he had not dared look at you and you were sure that he would have found a way to be rid of you by then.

You stepped past Bilbo with a half-mumbled excuse for yourself and you sensed Kili and Fili’s gaze as you passed. You could not enjoy this day when Thorin looked as miserable as ever and you felt certain that it was all your fault. For every step forward, you took two back and you would never manage to break through to the cold king at such a pace. You approached Thorin as he had his back to you and you braced yourself one last time for your apology.

“Excuse me, Thorin?” You began, your voice not so loud as you had intended, “Is everything…okay?”

“Huh, uh, yes,” He turned back to you, almost jumping at your voice, “It is fine. Did you like your presents?”

“Yes, very much,” You replied with a weak smile and realised that you were still grasping the bead he had given you, “But I would understand if you wanted this back. I can’t–”

“I told you to keep it and I meant it,” He gently pushed away your hand as you held out the silver, “You have little enough as it is.”

“I have enough,” You assured, subconsciously rubbing the face of the bead with your finger, “And you have done more than you should…If you want to get back on the road, I understand.”

“I don’t,” He assured as he squared his shoulders, “You must be horribly sore from sleeping on the ground for so long. You need the rest more than any.”

“I told you, I can manage,” You quirked your lips, “It’s fine.”

“If you would just take my bedroll like I suggested,” He returned and you could sense another argument rising between you; as much as things had changed, they were much the same, “At least when I am on watch.”

“Not this again, Thorin,” You crossed your arms, “I can’t–You know, when I first ran into your company, I never expected you dwarves to be so giving…let alone you.”

“Well, we have lost much,” He explained as he lowered his brow, “But it does not mean we cannot give.”

“I did not mean it like that, Thorin,” You assured him as you dropped your arms, “But can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” His shoulder relaxed slightly as he shifted on his feet.

“Why give me this bead?” You looked down at the silver gripped in your hand, “It’s so nice and…you could hold onto it until we reach the Mountain. Surely, there must be another who is more fitting.”

“I made the bead,” He intoned grimly, “And I should know best who deserves it.”

“Right, maybe I should be more direct,” You muttered though you did not try to do so without him hearing, “I don’t want to read too much into itbut…Kili and Fili have taught me a few things about dwarven rites and one does not give something like this so lightly.”

“No…you’re right,” He looked down at his boots and wiped his hands on his tunic, “I…am afraid I may have overstepped.”

“Can I ask…” You swallowed as the tension around you rose, “When did you make it?”

“I, uh, long ago,” He shrugged, slowly lifting his eyes back to you, “I made it when I was young, before we lost the Mountain, and I could not even think of letting it go.”

“And now?” You frowned down at the silver, “This is a piece of your home and you would give it to me?”

“I would,” He answered as he stepped closer, “And if it was acceptable, I would also give you a braid…to go with it.”

“I…” You raised your brow as you heart beat felt irregular and you looked back at the other dwarves who had become oddly quiet though they were too distant to hear your conversation, “A braid? For me?”

“You know what it means, then?” He asked as he once more shifted his weight, “What I am asking?”

“Yes, you dwarves sure have some odd customs,” You mused with a grin, “But so do my people; Santa and the like.”

“Truly?” He sounded almost stunned by your acceptance, “You would have me?”

“ _You_  would have  _me_?” You countered dryly, “You’re not the most easy of people to read, Thorin.”

He smiled down at you and you could sense the eyes of the other dwarves still watching from across the camp. You realized now that Fili had been telling the truth when he had said that the day was Thorin’s doing. You also figured that they knew the meaning of the bead as well as you had and that they did not need to hear what you were saying to know what words had been exchanged.

“I am afraid, though,” You said as you touched your muddy hair, “I am kind of a mess and I don’t know that you would want to try and fight with this mop.”

“That is quite alright,” He assured as he exhaled visibly, “I know a place where we can get you cleaned up.”

“Really? Around here?” You looked around at the rocky ground and the clusters of trees.

“Well, it is a bit of a walk,” He explained as he held out his arm gallantly, “But I think it should be worth. I myself am feeling rather road weary.”

“I suppose…” You looked once more at the rest of the Company and they looked away guiltily in an effort to hide their prying eyes, “Will they be alright without their fearless leader?”

“I should hope,” He grinned as you took his arm and he began to lead you towards the trees, “But you never know with us dwarves, we always tend to find trouble…which is likely why you fit in so well.”

* * *

“How much further, Thorin?” You asked as he led you out of the trees, “I am starting to become worried that this is a trick…or that we’re lost.”

“I am not lost,” He asserted, though you had already had to backtrack a few times, “We are almost–” He looked around before a grin grew beneath his beard, “There.”

He pulled you forward towards the large cliff which rose from the rocky ground and between two tall stone which hid a dark entrance to an underground crevice. Thorin let go of your arm and jumped down into the mouth of the cave before turning back to your with a proud smile.

“I told you we weren’t lost,” He preened as he held up his arms to help you down, “Just try not to hurt yourself.”

You let him guide you down so that you did not break an ankle and looked curiously into the dark tunnel under the cliff. You could see a flicker of light in the distance and wondered what awaited you beyond. The last time you had chanced upon caves, there had been goblins within and you did not relish another run-in with the creatures.

“I’m still not so sure this isn’t a trap,” You chuckled nervously and ran your hand along the grimy wall, “I thought you said we were going somewhere to get cleaned up.”

“Patience,” Thorin intoned as he led you into the depths, “I think you will like this surprise much more than the bead.”

“Ooh, will I?” You mused as you clung closer to him, a chill running through the tunnel before a sudden gust of warmth followed it, “I hope you are not intending to leave me here…that would not be such a nice surprise.”

“Nothing like that,” He pulled you onward and the air grew thicker and warmer, “Though you may not want to leave.”

You continued on as steam began to rise around you in the tunnel and it opened up into a large underground chamber filled with an immense heat. Within a large hot spring basin sat centre as the sun shone through the hole overhead in the rock of the grey cave. You gasped at the unexpected beauty of it and squeezed Thorin’s arm without realizing what you were doing.

“This is amazing,” You released him and neared the edge of the steaming spring, “How did you know?”

“It is well known that these caves have springs,” He explained as he stepped up to your side, “And I could see the steam rising in the sky last night.”

“Well, let’s not waste any more time,” You pulled the cloak from your shoulders, “I would not stay in these layers of dirt any longer.”

“Oh?” Thorin looked to you with surprise, “You don’t want me to…leave so you can–”

“Nonsense,” You waved away his embarrassment, “Unless you would rather, but I reckon we both need a good bath.”

You began to unzip your road-worn jacket and kicked off the leather boots which were barely holding together. Thorin seemed frozen as he silently watched you, though you were eagerly eyeing the bubbling pool before you. You pulled your sweater over your head and pushed your jeans down your legs, freeing yourself from the filth of the journey. Next, you peeled off the sweat-scented tee shirt and were left to nothing but your undergarments.

“Or you could just watch,” You jested as you poked Thorin’s shoulder and he grinned bashfully, “But I expect the same in return.”

“Sorry, I…” He inhaled and pushed back his heavy hair, “You’re beautiful.”

“Eh, you’re not too bad yourself,” You grinned and reached over to unclasp his cloak, “Now, let’s get to work,” You let the heavy garment drop to the ground behind him, “As I recall, you promised me a braid.”

“That I did,” He smiled and began to pull at his mail with a naughty smirk, “That and much more.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr: December 14, 2015


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